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in classes held independently of the universities. Among lecturers on the subject
in Berlin I may mention Hirschlaff, Vogt, Georg Flatau, and J. Grossmann.
In the winter of 1904-05 I myself gave a series of lectures on psycho-therapeutics
in connection with the course promoted by the central committee for post-graduate
students; in those lectures I dealt with the methods of treatment by hypnosis
and suggestion.
In other countries also lectures on hypnotism have been given at universities,
as at Zurich by ForeL In Paris, Berillon has delivered lectures on hypnotism
in conjunction with Jennings and Farez. Lehmann, a distinguished psychologist
HISTORY OF HYPNOTISM. 31
at Copenhagen, has, in his lectures there, dealt with the psycho-logical significance
of hypnotism. Joire has lectured on hypnology in Lille, and Tokarski in Moscow.
In short, we find universal and strenuous endeavours to throw the light of science
on hypnotism, and attract fresh investigators to this field of inquiry.
Much documentary evidence in favour of hypnotism has been collected in Germany.
The propriety of utilizing hypnosis in the production of a literary work has
been discussed by Franzos, who collected and published a number of opinions
on the subject. Unfortunately, Franzos, to further his object, made use of many
highly-esteemed names in the German professional world, among others that of
Helmholtz, who openly admitted that he had never troubled his head about the
matter. At the same time we must not lose sight of the instructive and detailed
work which we owe to Forel, Eulenburg, Krafft-Ebing, and Preyer. Another collection
of documents, dealing more especially with the therapeutic side of the question,
was published by J. Grossmann. This, I am sorry to say, omits some names—for
example, Preyer's—but several of the papers contained in it are of great
value. In 1902 the Prussian Minister of Education invited the Council of Prussian
Physicians to institute an inquiry into the therapeutic value of hypnosis. At
the same time the presidents of the various governmental districts were requested
to report on the extent to which hypnosis was carried on by unqualified persons.
It cannot be denied that hypnosis is frequently practised by laymen, and that,
too, in a very unscientific manner. I need only point to the public exhibitions
of hypnotism which take place from time to time in spite of all prohibitive
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